When Fire Damage Causes Water Damage

2/22/2018 (Permalink)

After the devastation of a fire in your St Michael, MN home, it can be immensely frustrating to find that belongings that weren’t damaged in the fire were still saturated by water, whether from the local fire team when dousing the fire or due to exposure to the elements after fire damage to the roof left the interior vulnerable to rain. Water cleanup after a fire can be difficult, but not impossible.

1. Be aware of hazards. Standing water left behind after a fire may contain soot or other substances that can cause adverse health reactions. Use protective gear when handling waterlogged belongings or furniture. During all stages of water cleanup, you should consistently focus on safety and assessing the situation before handling water-damaged possessions.

2. Determine what can be salvaged. Some items, such as plastics and other water-resistant materials, can be left to dry out and can be easily recovered. Others, such as furniture, clothing, and electronics, may not be. Furniture and clothing may be stained by dirty water, or may absorb enough water to mildew beyond cleaning or repair. Electronics, unless they are water-sealed, may short-circuit. They may not be safe to touch, and should be handled gingerly to avoid electrical shock injury.

3. Trust your sprinkler system. Believe it or not, sprinklers are actually a lesser culprit when it comes to fire-related water damage. This is because sprinklers help to suppress the fire, and minimize damage on all fronts. That means firefighters use less volume of water to douse the fire, and the damage doesn’t spread as far, minimizing exposure from loss of structural integrity.

After a fire, not all is lost. You may have to do some water cleanup, but overall a proper fire cleanup routine can be instrumental in saving as much as possible to rebuild again.
Visit http://www.SERVPROwrightcounty.com for more information on commercial fire damage.